Portable television (TV) phone and method for controlling operation thereof

Abstract

A TV phone is provided, which includes a TV module; an MRFU for demodulating an incoming call received through a forward channel, and modulating and transmitting a signal on a reverse channel; a TV control section for supplying a tuning signal to the TV module; an MSP for establishing a phone or TV mode; and a display unit for displaying synchronized signals on an image viewing screen. In a TV mode, the TV phone receives an incoming call, stops the TV module; switches off and on output of an audio signal of the selected TV broadcasting channel; displays a character message on the TV viewing screen; or superimposes a graphic image over the image on the TV viewing screen.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mobile terminal comprising:
 a screen; and 
 a processor which displays data indicating an occurrence of an incoming event on at least one portion of the screen and stops display of video data on the screen, upon the occurrence of the incoming event while displaying the video data on the screen. 
 
     
     
       2. The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the processor displays the data indicating the occurrence of the incoming event in at least one of text and graphics. 
     
     
       3. The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the processor displays the data indicating the occurrence of the incoming event on the at least one portion of the screen that had been displaying the video data. 
     
     
       4. The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one portion of the screen includes a predetermined area or an entire area of the screen. 
     
     
       5. A method for displaying data in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 displaying video data on a screen; and 
 upon an occurrence of an incoming event while displaying the video data on the screen, stopping display of the video data on the screen and displaying data indicating the occurrence of the incoming event on at least one portion of the screen. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein displaying the data comprises displaying the data indicating the occurrence of the incoming event in at least one of text and graphics. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein displaying the data comprises displaying the data indicating the occurrence of the incoming event on the at least one portion of the screen that had been displaying the video data. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one portion of the screen includes a predetermined area or an entire area of the screen. 
     
     
       9. A method for displaying data in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 displaying video data on a screen; and 
 upon an occurrence of an incoming call event while displaying the video data on the screen, displaying data indicating the occurrence of the incoming call event on at least one portion of the screen, wherein what and where the data indicating the occurrence of an incoming call event is displayed depends on an incoming event mode setting. 
 
     
     
       10. A method for a mobile terminal capable of displaying video, comprising:
 playing a video on a display screen of the mobile terminal; and 
 upon receiving an incoming call while playing the video on the display screen, performing one of:
 displaying an indication of the incoming call superimposed on the video on the display screen; 
 displaying an indication of the incoming call on at least a portion of the display screen; or 
 switching from playing the video to operational phone mode. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the indication of the incoming call comprises at least one of text and a graphic image. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining whether or not a user responds to the incoming call. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising, when the mobile terminal has switched to operational phone mode:
 if the user does not respond to the incoming call, returning to the video. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein what is performed upon receiving an incoming call while playing the video on the display screen depends upon an incoming call alarm mode, and the incoming call alarm mode is set via an input of the mobile terminal. 
     
     
       15. A mobile terminal comprising:
 a screen; and 
 a processor which, upon an occurrence of an incoming call event while displaying video data on the screen, controls the screen to display data indicating the occurrence of the incoming call event on at least one portion of the screen, wherein what and where the data indicating the occurrence of the incoming call event is displayed depends on an incoming event mode setting. 
 
     
     
       16. A mobile terminal comprising:
 a display screen; and 
 a processor which, upon receiving an incoming call while video is playing on the display screen, controls the mobile terminal to perform one of:
 displaying an indication of the incoming call superimposed on the video on the display screen; 
 displaying an indication of the incoming call on at least a portion of the display screen; or 
 switching from playing the video to operational phone mode. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The mobile terminal of  claim 16 , wherein the indication of the incoming call comprises at least one of text and a graphic image. 
     
     
       18. The mobile terminal of  claim 16 , wherein the processor determines whether or not a user responds to the incoming call. 
     
     
       19. The mobile terminal of  claim 18 , wherein, if the mobile terminal has switched to operational phone mode and the user does not respond to the incoming call, the processor controls the display screen to return to the video. 
     
     
       20. The mobile terminal of  claim 16 , wherein what is performed upon receiving an incoming call while playing the video on the display screen depends upon an incoming call alarm mode, and the incoming call alarm mode is set via an input of the mobile terminal.